Tip of the WeekIt's not too early to begin building web pages, pathfinders, and other information resources for Black History Month (February). See LII's collection for high-quality websites across a broad spectrum of topics from the Amistad to Buffalo Soldiers and beyond.

Trouble in Toyland
This annual survey of toy safety "provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards." Discusses choking and strangulation hazards, toys that could cause hearing loss, and toys that could expose children to hazardous chemicals. Includes photos illustrating potentially hazardous toys and information about online toy retailers. From the National Association of State PIRGs.
URL: http://toysafety.net/toysafety.asp?id2=20594
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/8578

Mel Torme
Obituary for singer Mel Torme (nicknamed "The Velvet Fog"), who died in 1999. The article provides an overview of his career that "traced a classic mid-century show-biz trajectory, complete with vaguely vaudevillian beginnings, success as a child actor, parts on radio plays and in movie musicals." He also wrote "hundreds [of songs] over the course of his career, including the classic 'The Christmas Song' ('Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ...')." From Salon.com.
URL: http://www.salon.com/people/obit/1999/06/12/torme/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19887

Profiles in Science: The Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Papers
Biography of "Albert Imre Szent-Gyorgyi (1893-1986), a Hungarian-born biochemist, [who] was the first to isolate vitamin C, and ... [whose] research on biological oxidation provided the basis for Krebs' citric acid cycle. ... His later career was devoted to research in 'submolecular' biology. ... He was especially interested in cancer, and was one of the first to explore the connections between free radicals and cancer." Includes documents and photos. From the National Library of Medicine.
URL: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/WG/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19917

William Paley (1743-1805)
Brief essay on this religious writer known as a creationist. He is best known for his "exposition of natural theology, the belief that the nature of God could be understood by reference to His creation, the natural world. He introduced one of the most famous metaphors in the philosophy of science, the image of the watchmaker, "to show that life on earth requires an "intelligent designer." From the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley.
URL: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/paley.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19936

Ready Reference & Quick Facts

Kwanzaa
Basic information about Kwanzaa, "a non-religious African American holiday which celebrates family, community, and culture. It is celebrated for seven days: December 26-January 1." Describes the "seven principles" (such as unity, creativity, and purpose) and the "seven symbols" (including the ear of corn and the seven candles). From the website for the History Channel.
URL: http://www.history.com/minisites/kwanzaa/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19904

Chouinard: A Living Legacy
"It would be difficult to find a more powerful influence on the development of Southern California's reputation as a center of 20th Century American art than Mrs. Nelbert Chouinard, ... guiding light of Chouinard Art Institute from 1921-1972." Features images of items (mouse-over for attributions) by artists who attended the school and who "embody our history from plein air impressionism to post-surrealism, from Abstract Expressionism to 'Light and Space.'" From the Oceanside (California) Museum of Art.
URL: http://www.oma-online.org/chouinard.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19962

Healthy Forests Pacific Northwest
Discusses efforts to reduce the risks of wildfire by "treating hazardous fuels in the national forests." Outlines strategies to be used in Oregon and Washington state, such as thinning, pruning, debris removal, and prescribed fire. Describes area ecosystems and the current fire situation. Includes a map of projects, virtual tours of burn areas, action plans, and other material on hazardous fuels. From the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.
URL: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/hfi/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19822

The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF)
"Until 1904 there were an estimated 4 billion American chestnut trees in eastern forests. Then the deadly fungus struck. The tree virtually disappeared from the American landscape." The goal of this organization "is to restore the American chestnut tree to its native forests through a scientific research and breeding program." The site features history, information about TACF programs, tree identification images, journal articles (most recent issue requires membership), and more.
URL: http://www.acf.org
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19883

Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Official site of this library (and related cultural institutions) in Alexandria, Egypt, that has a goal of being "a center of excellence in the production and dissemination of knowledge and to be a place of dialogue, learning and understanding between cultures and peoples." The site features information about collections and programs for the library, planetarium, antiquities museum, art centers, and more. Also available in Arabic, French, and Japanese.
URL: http://www.bibalex.org/English/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/19916